Sensitivity and specificity of ELISA based on recombinant Treponema pallidum antigen and rapid plasma reagin test in diagnosis of syphilis: a comparative study

Abstract

To compare the sensitivity and specificity between ELISA based on the recombinant Treponema pallidum (Tp) antigen and rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test diagnosis of syphilis. Peripheral blood samples were collected from 249 patients, 177 males and 72 females, aged 34. Abbott Determine Syphilis TP test (ELISA based on the recombinant Tp antigen), RPR test, and Treponema pallidum haemagglutination assay (TPHA) were conducted with TPHA used as the gold standard. The serum sensitivity and specificity of Abbott Determine Syphilis TP test were 100% and 98.4% respectively. The serum sensitivity and specificity of RPR test were 65.1% and 98.4% respectively. The sensitivity of the rapid ELISA based on recombinant Tp antigen is significantly higher than that of RPR test.